Sunday, April 25, 2010

...an addendum to the post below this one...

...that says it all, I think, more appropriately and justly than I ever can:

Take heed that you despise not one of these little ones; for I say to you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.

-- Matthew 18:10

Friday, April 23, 2010

On Another Blog I Follow...

...that some of you may all know, someone made a comment to the effect of -won't he scare the other kids- referring to a little boy with some facial reconstruction and a glass eye whom had visitors at his home. The mother of this child responded appropriately, and more politely than I would have I think. My response would have been along the lines of: oh grow up! This isn't grade school anymore -- and you know what, even most grade school kids are not so superficial! How absolutely SHALLOW and what sort of a person, an adult even, could ridicule the physical differences of a little boy too young to even understand them???? This is a safe version, in this stance I might be a little more descriptive if this wasn't a public blog.

I mean, really, this sort of thing sets me off. What kind of human would say that about a little boy's differences when he has no control over how he was born? It feels almost racist to me -- to judge someone's physical features because they are white or black is, but apparently someone with cosmetic facial differences or any differences is not? Call me extreme, call me what you like, but know that it will be deleted/won't be published if you do choose to react negatively. That's not what this is about.

I think you are adorable little one, the little boy mentioned and Mara alike. You two have a beauty that goes beyond 'face' value. Always, always remember that.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Daddies and Daughters

"Certain is it that there is no kind of affection so purely angelic as of a father to a daughter. In love to our wives there is desire; to our sons, ambition; but to our daughters there is something which there are no words to express."

--Joseph Addison

When I was a little girl in our church we would have an annual overnight "daddy/daughter" camp out. My dad has five daughters, four of us still on this Earth. My some of my favorite memories involve him packing up to go to this -- with four little girls. Other families were there yes but all I can say is this ...my dad was/is a very brave man.

Other memories I have are as in the Alan Jackson song Drive. Every time I see this video I think of my dad -- we did exactly that; pack up his old white truck and drive it off to the dump while he let me drive while sitting in his lap [the leather seat was hot on my legs, I was a girly girl and often wore those frilly dresses]. I had to be very young then, but I remember it.



I was also in the little miss pageant when I was a little girl. I am thinking I was five or six? Not sure. But I remember this event too from what seemed like the llllooonnnnggg walk from the hotel to where the pageant was at [it was just across the lawn in the same hotel but it seemed so very far]. There is a picture in my mother's hall of my dad posing with me and my crown when I became a 'finalist' in the event. That picture too, is one of my fondest memories.

He taught me to swim [jumped in the lake/pool after me many times], he taught me to ride a bike, [cuts and bruises and crocodile tears, oh my] he taught me to drive. He is still a big part of my life and a hero to me. He still gets silly with me and when I am at his house I am still his little girl. We are 'night owls' together. If I am at his house he will be up at 2 a.m. with me making grill cheese sandwiches. I love my dad. "I am a princess" to him. I want to be like him, I still say that, at 30 something years old today.

Is Mara your little girl? Are you her daddy or mommy? Yes I want her but more I want a family for her and for her to have beautiful memories like these. Thank you all for coming here, and for caring, and for passing word of her on.

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Happy Easter!

"On Easter Day the veil between time and eternity thins to gossamer."
~Douglas Horton